Dispensing container for tacks



Nov. 2& 1939. H E LOWRY 2.181661 DISPENSING CONTAINER FOR TACKS FiledJul 23, 1958 Patented Nov. 28, 1939 Y UNITED STATES ?ATENT OFFICE2,181,661 DISPENSING CONTAINER FOR TACKS Hubert Elza, Lowry, LosAngeles, Calif.

Application July '23, 1938, Serial No. 220,997

' 1 claim. (o1. '221--14c) This invention comprehends certain new anduseful improvements .in dispensers for tacks, small nuts, bolts and thelike for use in various industries, and has for its object to provide animproved dispensing container which is very simple in construction andefficient in operation, the tacks or the like being kept in a sanitarycondition and very readily accessible when desired for use.

A further object of the invention is a device of this character which isso constructed that it will conveniently hold a quantity of tacks, forexample, and which is mounted to swing upon a supporting framework insuch a manner that it will normally be held in a position to avoid anyaccidental discharge of its contents but which at the same time may bevery conveniently actuated by one hand of the operator or workman tofreely deposit in his hand any desired quantity of tacks when he desiresthem for use.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully appear as thedescription proceeds,

the invention will now be specifically described, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a front elevation of anembodiment of my invention with two of the containers shown, one beingillustrated in the position it will assume when not being actuated ormanipulated and the other one being shown in the position assumed whenmoved by the hand of a workman to discharge a quantity of tacks or thelike.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, the section being taken on theline 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation with the section on the line 3-3 ofFig. l, and

Fig. 4 is a detail fragmentary sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

In carrying out my invention, a table II! or other convenient support, asupporting frame consisting in the present instance of standards IIpreferably made of sheet metal strips bent near their lower ends to formfeet I2 by which they are secured in upstanding position upon the tableII] by means of screws I3 or similar fastening devices.

The standards II are formed in their upper edges with verticallydisposed longitudinal slots I4 adapted to receive a spindle IE tosupport any desired number of my improved containers or dispensers, itbeing within the purview of my invention to place as many as seven oreight containers or even more upon the spindle I5 I mount upon accordingto the requirementsof the particular industry in hand.

Each container I6 is preferably formed of sheet metal and is chute-likein conformation, being provided with a closed bottom H, a rear end wallI8, and a sloping top wall embodying a sharply inclined portion I9spaced from the end of the wall I8, a somewhat less sloping intermediateportion 20, and an opposite end or outer portion 2| which is hinged atits rear edge as at 22, and which forms a gravity-closed gate at thedischarge end of the chute-like casing l6, as best illustrated in Fig.3. The space between the sharply oblique portion I9 of the top and therear end wall I8 is normally closed by preferably a sliding lid 23formed at its rear edge with a curled portion 24 by which it may beconveniently grasped so as to be slid into position or slid backwardlywhenever it is desired to fill the casing I6 with tacks or the like.

The casing I6 is pivotally mounted intermediate of its ends on thespindle I5, as at 25, the casing being formed in its sides with openingsthru which the spindle I5 may be passed for this purpose, the partsbeing so proportioned that normally, or in other words, when thecontainer is not in use, the larger or rear end thereof when filled willoverbalance the forward end portion of the casing and assume a positionas illustrated in Fig. 2, with the relatively narrow discharge end ofthe casing pointing upward, and to limit the swinging movement of thecasing in this direction I provide a rod 26 extending slightly above andforward of the spindle I5 and connected at its ends to the standards II,said stop rod 26 being designed to contact with the intermediate portion"of the top of the casing, as clearly illustrated in the drawing.

Projecting forwardly and relatively downward from and at an obliqueangle to the bottom II of the casing I6 at the narrow discharge endthereof, is a bumper plate 2'! provided with an angularly disposedportion 28 soldered, riveted or otherwise secured to the bottom, asshown.

In the operation of my improved dispensing container, the same is filledwith tacks, for example, and the casing normally rests in the inclinedposition illustrated in Fig. 2 with the discharge end pointing upward ashereinbefore described. Whenever a workman desires a handful of tacks,all he has to do is to place one hand upon the bumperplate 21, the backof the hand contacting with said plate, and in this way swing the casingon the spindle in a direction to move the contracted discharge enddownward, whereupon the gate 2| will be automatically swung open underthe pressure of the weight of the tacks within the casing, and when theworkman has received from the casing the quantity he desires, he merelyreleases his hand from the bumper plate whereupon the casing will swingbackward to its normal inactive position illustrated in Fig. 4, the stoprod 26 limiting such movement.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanyingdrawing it will be seen that I have provided a very simple, durable andefficient construction of dispensing container for tacks, small nuts,bolts and the like, which will keep the contents sanitary and which maybe very readily'operated by the single hand of a workman to receive inhis hand any desired quantity of the articles desired for his use Whilethe accompanying drawing illustrates what I believe to be the preferredembodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited thereto but that various changes may be made in theconstruction, ar-

rangement and proportions of the different parts without departing fromthe invention as claimed.

What is claimed, is:

A dispensing container for tacks and the like comprising a support,spaced standards mounted upright on said support and formed in theirupper edges with vertically disposed slots, a spindle received in saidslots and extending from one standard to the other, another spindleconnected at its ends to said standards and located slightly above thefirst-named spindle and to one side of the slots, and a chute-likecasing pivotally mounted between its ends on the first-named spindle andso mounted thereon that it will be normally swung to a position whereone end will point upward, said swinging movement being limited bycontact with the second-named rod, said chute-like casing being providedat its rear end with a receiving opening and a closure therefor and atits other end with a gravity-closed 20 gate.

HUBERT ELZA LOWRY.

